adding extra 4kw battery for more than double plug in miles

I dun know what you be tlking bout. ;-)

 

I hear this a lot but don't understand it. Only 30??? The EPA highway rating is 40 for the Volt, and 42 for the CruzeEco engine it is based around. If you drive the Volt as carefully as you drive your Prius or other hybrid, it will easily meet or exceed the official rating.

Also the almost $10,000 dollars you save on a Volt versus a Prius Plugin + extra pack will buy a lot of gasoline. 50-40 MPG/$10,000 == over 500,000 miles in gas mode. (Full Disclosure: I plan to buy both, so I'm not biased for or against either car.)

 

Before you buy that Tesla EV you should watch this video about the drawbacks of limited battery range.

 

I have no problems with my Model S, have never used a SuperCharger, and very rarely charge anywhere but in my garage. Friday I drove down to cape cod and back, didn't need to charge, and it was %100 electric. Not something you can do in your Volt.

 

I really enjoyed the Telsa S video. Beautiful car. It appears everyone with a full EV is subject to range anxiety. The Telsa was put to the test based on range and terrain. Highly manageable with proper planning. Regardless of current EV range, everyone wishes for more.

 

Any further updates on this topic?

 

Silence relating to traction pack advancements - after big promises, says volumes.
.

 

please don't wake troy, he's been sleeping comfortably.

 

I posted the same question on the Enginer website regarding charging of the expansion battery packs… no response.

 

I would have gladly given Toyota another $2k for a bit more battery. Hard to retrofit now. Must wait for the next incarnation of the PiP. I would have to guess it'd have 2x the EV range of the current rev - at least 2x maybe 3x depending upon battery advances between now and perhaps 1 more year.

 

you're a starry eyed optimistic dreamer!

 

..and dreams may come true . ..

 

let's be realistic here, i love my new PiP but it's only a bridge to the release of the "working man's Tesla"

 

The last figures I saw said the "average commute" in the US is 16 miles one way.
I get about 11 real world EV miles out of my PIP with my current 28mi one way commute. If Toyota could double the PIP's current 11 mi range to 22 miles- I would be ecstatic! I'm sure the T engineers have been tasked with increasing the range of their next PHV but with the current battery chemistry/cost/weight it's a daunting task.

 

I am sure I would see improved fuel efficiency but at what cost. Might be better to take the money I would spend on the battery upgrade and place in a new car fund. There will be tons of new EV & PHEV options over the next two to three years.

A question: Is the relationship between battery capacity and EV range linear? Bigger batteries will increase the vehicles weight and weight distribution. In general many seem to place more emphasis on battery capacity versus the performance of the car as a total package. Both the PIP and the Cmax Energi were on my list of potential PHEVs to purchase. News reports and early reviews for the Energi were generally positive. In many cases the writers went so far as to dimiss the PIP do to its small battery and limited EV range. Since purchasing my PIP I continue to track data on the Energi. According to the data on Fuelly, despite its smaller battery the fuel efficiency of the PIP is better than the Energi' (~78 vs. ~64). I think this is related to matching driving habits to EV range. For the average commute (~15 miles) I am not convinced spending extra cash get anther 5 to 6 miles of EV range is cost effective. I like Toyota's approach. Keep battery size to a minimum and focus on software, efficient ICE and aerodynamics. In the long term this will result in an affordable PHEV and will help us dramatically reduce gas consumption.

Other things we can/should be doing. promote the benefits of owning a EV, PHEV or any fuel efficient vehicle. basedon feedback i recieved it means helping others look beyond purchase price to the TCO. Ask employers to install charging stations. Support businesses that install public charging stations.

 

i'm sure toyota can do many positive things with a gen IV chassis. the question i have is, with the poor sales of pip, volt, leaf, do they have any incentive to continue pouring money into these products?

 

I will gladly paid an extra $2.5K above the current PiP price for at least 3 time the current EV distance. In this configuration, the PiP would be an awesome Plug-in/Hybrid vehicle and beat the competitor out of the field.

 

I think T would lose money on that deal...

 

lets recap, the PiP is an overcharged vehicle for what it is, so it's plenty of monetary margin.
If you think about it, it will only be a matter of more batteries in the same confined area of the vehicle and some tweaking of control software. The charger could be the same, only double the recharge time or about it.

 

Don't hold your breath for anything impressive in the PiP/EV world, Toyota is clearly not a fan of electric vehicles, they actually loath the fact they have to mfr any of them (mainly to comply with CARB requirements). Tesla will have their "EV for Everyman" availble well before Toyota wakes up from their $1Billion investment in hybrid technology. I'm thoroughly enjoying my Model S, and I am waiting to receive payment on my PiP.